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Character Evaluation/Help A Noob

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
elcunado
Mar 24, 2013 17:16:58 Hey, my buddies and I just started a D&D group and I've looked into the character creation proecess a bit, but I decided I wanted to try a monk.... kind of like a luchadore monk who is big on unnarmed and grappling and I was wondering if the class I built is even worth playing. Oh and the party size is 7. It would be awesome if someone could critique my character and tell me if it is even worth it...

El Cunado's Stats: lvl 2 Human Monk 3.5e
STR - 18
DEX - 16
CON - 17
INT - 12
WIS - 17
CHA - 15
Hit Points: 25
AC: 16
Flurry of Blows: +3/+3
Attack Unarmed +6
Grapple Check +10
Will, Reflex and Fortitude Saves +6
Unarmed Damage 1d6 + 5
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Dodge, and Toughness
And the skill points went mainly into Jump, Tumble, Climb, Balance, Move Silently, and Escape.

Thanks For Looking

#2
Count_Von_CoC
Mar 24, 2013 17:29:05 No. No, no, more no, and hell no!
First, your ability scores: how the hell did you come by those?!
Second: TOUGHNESS?!? Why? If you're going to waste a feat on it, at least use Improved Toughness.
Third: Monks are horrible at doing what you expect them to do. Psychic Warrior and Unarmed Swordsage are actually good at grappling. Play one of those. Seriously.
Last: if you search for the Pinball Brothers, you'll find a nice build Tempest made with a semi-MMA flair.
#3
StevenO
Mar 24, 2013 17:37:13
No. No, no, more no, and hell no!
First, your ability scores: how the hell did you come by those?!
Second: TOUGHNESS?!? Why? If you're going to waste a feat on it, at least use Improved Toughness.
Third: Monks are horrible at doing what you expect them to do. Psychic Warrior and Unarmed Swordsage are actually good at grappling. Play one of those. Seriously.
Last: if you search for the Pinball Brothers, you'll find a nice build Tempest made with a semi-MMA flair.

You know what's crazy, I actually agree with most of this. Now the only reasonable excuse for the second and third points it to "make up for" the first point with those INSANE god (PBe 64) stats. A crazy thing about those stats is that while they are so amazing a monk would actually like INT as one of its better ability scores.

We should also note the "party of seven" which makes things MUCH harder to evaluate. A few munchkins extreme optimizers with stats like those and it doesn't matter what anyone else plays. I just wish the DM good luck.

#4
elcunado
Mar 24, 2013 17:50:51 For a better sense of what the party is like, the seven consist of a druid, a barbarian, a rogue, a sorcerer, a cleric, a ranger and myself. So, as you can see the party is pretty stacked, which is why I am looking for an entertaining class to play as.

I too was very skepitical about the monk because of all of the negative reviews the other forums had posted about the class. That is why I am asking you all whether or not I should look for another class or I the one I have will function properly. I am open to suggestions.

Also, I used the Javascript D&D Character Generator(www.pathguy.com/cg35.htm) to get that roll on my first try and I just assumed that was average

#5
Count_Von_CoC
Mar 24, 2013 18:11:17 Not even close to average. Average is the equivalent of 25-32 point buy (15/14/13/12/10/8 is 25, 16/15/14/12/10/10 is 32). See the difference?
Now, you can still do that grappling build you want, but unarmed swordsage is the way to do it straight out of the box. With a little more work, you can do something like Psychic Warrior or a Tashalatora built monk 2/PsyWar 18
#6
Andarious-Rosethorn
Mar 24, 2013 19:03:12 Unarmed Swordsage doesn't really grapple all that crazy good. They trip like a pro though. I'll agree on Psychic Warrior though.
#7
EruditeApe
Mar 24, 2013 20:04:05 Monk? Lolno. Go Swordsage.

Second, grappling is terrible. I mean, beyond terrible. It's like begging enemies to get up behind you and... well, it's not going to end well, let's just say. Want to play that style? Swordsage has the Setting Sun throw line. It's much better than "lolisuck! Let's get shut down by anything that knows a caster or is above large!"

Third, really, toughness is getting a lot of attention, but dodge?

Yeah, no. On everything here. Just, no.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 elcunado Mar 24, 2013 17:16:58	Hey, my buddies and I just started a D&D group and I've looked into the character creation proecess a bit, but I decided I wanted to try a monk.... kind of like a luchadore monk who is big on unnarmed and grappling and I was wondering if the class I built is even worth playing. Oh and the party size is 7. It would be awesome if someone could critique my character and tell me if it is even worth it... El Cunado's Stats: lvl 2 Human Monk 3.5e STR - 18 DEX - 16 CON - 17 INT - 12 WIS - 17 CHA - 15 Hit Points: 25 AC: 16 Flurry of Blows: +3/+3 Attack Unarmed +6 Grapple Check +10 Will, Reflex and Fortitude Saves +6 Unarmed Damage 1d6 + 5 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Dodge, and Toughness And the skill points went mainly into Jump, Tumble, Climb, Balance, Move Silently, and Escape. Thanks For Looking
#2 Count_Von_CoC Mar 24, 2013 17:29:05	No. No, no, more no, and hell no! First, your ability scores: how the hell did you come by those?! Second: TOUGHNESS?!? Why? If you're going to waste a feat on it, at least use Improved Toughness. Third: Monks are horrible at doing what you expect them to do. Psychic Warrior and Unarmed Swordsage are actually good at grappling. Play one of those. Seriously. Last: if you search for the Pinball Brothers, you'll find a nice build Tempest made with a semi-MMA flair.
#3 StevenO Mar 24, 2013 17:37:13	No. No, no, more no, and hell no! First, your ability scores: how the hell did you come by those?! Second: TOUGHNESS?!? Why? If you're going to waste a feat on it, at least use Improved Toughness. Third: Monks are horrible at doing what you expect them to do. Psychic Warrior and Unarmed Swordsage are actually good at grappling. Play one of those. Seriously. Last: if you search for the Pinball Brothers, you'll find a nice build Tempest made with a semi-MMA flair. You know what's crazy, I actually agree with most of this. Now the only reasonable excuse for the second and third points it to "make up for" the first point with those INSANE god (PBe 64) stats. A crazy thing about those stats is that while they are so amazing a monk would actually like INT as one of its better ability scores. We should also note the "party of seven" which makes things MUCH harder to evaluate. A few munchkins extreme optimizers with stats like those and it doesn't matter what anyone else plays. I just wish the DM good luck.
#4 elcunado Mar 24, 2013 17:50:51	For a better sense of what the party is like, the seven consist of a druid, a barbarian, a rogue, a sorcerer, a cleric, a ranger and myself. So, as you can see the party is pretty stacked, which is why I am looking for an entertaining class to play as. I too was very skepitical about the monk because of all of the negative reviews the other forums had posted about the class. That is why I am asking you all whether or not I should look for another class or I the one I have will function properly. I am open to suggestions. Also, I used the Javascript D&D Character Generator(www.pathguy.com/cg35.htm) to get that roll on my first try and I just assumed that was average
#5 Count_Von_CoC Mar 24, 2013 18:11:17	Not even close to average. Average is the equivalent of 25-32 point buy (15/14/13/12/10/8 is 25, 16/15/14/12/10/10 is 32). See the difference? Now, you can still do that grappling build you want, but unarmed swordsage is the way to do it straight out of the box. With a little more work, you can do something like Psychic Warrior or a Tashalatora built monk 2/PsyWar 18
#6 Andarious-Rosethorn Mar 24, 2013 19:03:12	Unarmed Swordsage doesn't really grapple all that crazy good. They trip like a pro though. I'll agree on Psychic Warrior though.
#7 EruditeApe Mar 24, 2013 20:04:05	Monk? Lolno. Go Swordsage. Second, grappling is terrible. I mean, beyond terrible. It's like begging enemies to get up behind you and... well, it's not going to end well, let's just say. Want to play that style? Swordsage has the Setting Sun throw line. It's much better than "lolisuck! Let's get shut down by anything that knows a caster or is above large!" Third, really, toughness is getting a lot of attention, but dodge? Yeah, no. On everything here. Just, no.